New research shows that Vitamin C can help older people retain muscle mass in later life.

As we age, we lose muscle mass and this, in turn, can lead to sarcopenia (a condition characterised by loss of skeletal muscle mass and function), frailty and other poor outcomes such as physical disability, type-2 diabetes, reduced quality of life and, eventually, death.

While physical activity is important and people over 50 are encouraged to try and do at least two or more sessions of muscle strengthening exercises such as lifting weights, working with resistance bands, carrying heavy shopping bags, yoga, Pilates, tai chi, or heavy gardening, it seems that good old Vitamin C is also an important factor in retaining muscle mass in later life, according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).

The benefits of vitamin C have been recognised for a long time and vitamin C is considered one of the safest and most effective supplements.

It is thought that vitamin C includes protection against immune system deficiencies and has been widely recommended by many nutritionists, together with vitamin D, as effective ways to help build the immune system which is particularly important during the current pandemic.

It is also believed that vitamin C plays a role in protecting our health from cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, and eye health.

A study published today shows that older people who eat plenty of vitamin C – commonly found in citrus fruits, berries, and vegetables – have the best skeletal muscle mass.

Lead researcher Prof Ailsa Welch, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School said:

 “As people age, they lose skeletal muscle mass and strength.

People over 50 lose up to one per cent of their skeletal muscle mass each year, and this loss is thought to affect more than 50 million people worldwide.

We know that Vitamin C consumption is linked with skeletal muscle mass. It helps defend the cells and tissues that make up the body from potentially harmful free radical substances. Unopposed these free radicals can contribute to the destruction of muscle, thus speeding up age-related decline.”

But until now, few studies have investigated the importance of Vitamin C intake for older people. We wanted to find out whether people eating more Vitamin C had more muscle mass than other people.”

Dr Richard Hayhoe, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said:

 “We studied a large sample of older Norfolk residents and found that people with the highest amounts of vitamin C in their diet or blood had the greatest estimated skeletal muscle mass, compared to those with the lowest amounts.

We are very excited by our findings as they suggest that dietary vitamin C is important for muscle health in older men and women and may be useful for preventing age-related muscle loss.

This is particularly significant as Vitamin C is readily available in fruits and vegetables, or supplements, so improving intake of this vitamin is relatively straightforward.

We found that nearly 60 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women participants were not consuming as much Vitamin C as they should, according to the European Food Safety Agency recommendations.

We’re not talking about people needing mega-doses. Eating a citrus fruit, such as an orange, each day and having a vegetable side to a meal will be sufficient for most people.”

The research team studied data from more than 13,000 people aged between 42-82 years, who are taking part in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) Norfolk Study which was funded by the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research UK.

They calculated their skeletal muscle mass and analysed their vitamin C intakes from a seven-day food diary. They also examined the amount of vitamin C in their blood.

Although the research states that a comparatively small amount of appropriate foods is needed to ensure our bodies receive enough vitamin C, it should be noted that a very large proportion of participants were not consuming as much vitamin C as they should on a daily basis.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are the mainstay of the Mediterranean Diet and, if followed, would provide plenty of vitamin C. However, many people who struggle to meet their 5-a-day may wish to consider good quality vitamin C supplementation, in which case the best option to ensure maximum absorption is taking Liposomal vitamin C supplements.

‘Lower dietary and circulating vitamin C in middle and older aged men and women are associated with lower estimated skeletal muscle mass’ is published in the Journal of Nutrition on August 27, 2020.

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Orange image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay